February 15, 2008–AUSTIN–On Valentine’s Day, 73 local men and women who survived sudden cardiac arrest got a chance to meet their rescuers at the Austin/Travis County Emergency Medical Service’s annual Take Heart Austin Survivor Celebration.
Doug Engle suffered a heart attack one year ago, while running along Austin's hike and bike trail.
“About that time, I started having pain in my chest and I just kind of sluffed it off,” said Engle.
After walking about a mile to his truck, Engle went into cardiac arrest. His wife was nine months pregnant at the time.
“He wasn't breathing, he didn't have a heartbeat,” said Matt Paul, a paramedic with Austin/Travis County EMS.
Paul and fellow paramedic, Craig Fairbrother, work at an EMS station just down the road. They were called out soon after.
“My partner and I drove down and we saw a circle of people surrounding someone on the ground,” said Fairbrother.
Paramedics started CPR and managed to save Engle. Thursday, Engle got a chance to meet his rescuers.
“It's been really great to look into the eyes of the people who saved my life,” said Engle.
Engle also got the chance to meet his now one-year-old daughter, Elinor.
“I cry every time the EMS goes by. See I'm starting to cry now. Every time I hear the siren, I just hope that people are as lucky as we were, said Elizabeth Engle, Doug Engle’s wife.
When the annual event first started in 2003, rescuers honored 44 survivors. This year, there were 73.
Austin/Travis County EMS workers attribute their increased success rate to more bystanders learning CPR, and more widespread deployment of automated external defibrillators in the community, and the use of mild therapeutic hypothermia.
- Erin Ochoa, KVUE News (Adapted)